I’m sitting in my recliner watching the sun set over the Mississippi River with the windows open allowing the cool Mississippi air in from the side window on our fifth wheel. Over head I can hear geese as they track back north and there is a freight train somewhere not too far off. I’m inclined to nap I feel so comfortable and peaceful but I’m too much into another NCIS rerun to give in. I’ve come to accept the fact that I can truly relax and enjoy myself. It’s a tough thing to do when you’ve worked most all your life. Always a deadline, a project to complete, a meeting to make/schedule/organize. For the first few years after I retired from my second career I even worked as a state consultant. Not exactly on a tight schedule as I planned all my days and took off when I wanted to, but still I was in the game.

I remember a trip to see my folks years ago during the summer when school was out. I’d take the three girls over summer vacation each year and we’d travel to Long Island to see relatives. I was visiting my mom and dad early one morning. My father made me breakfast and I was asking him his plan for the day and his answer was take a nap and then watch the Mets. I was annoyed at the fact that I saw him as wasting away just sitting there not realizing he was really enjoying himself after years of work. I know people who work up until the time they can no longer work because they see their life as their work and work as their life. It is like putting your heart into working around a house and always mowing and taking care of the garden only to see it a few years after you have sold the house and all your hard work is just gone. Same thing goes with that old job you used to have. Go back in a few years and see if anyone even remembers you, you thought you were so important: Better yet try to remember the person you replaced or a retirement party from a few years ago. Who was that for and what did they do?

The best part of my life right now is that I share it with Monica and it is absolutely wonderful. We sleep when we want, eat what and where we want. In fact it was not until yesterday I planned out our next few weeks of travel. And when we’re back at our home base we get to play with the baby without worry or concern for what day it is or what time. In fact for Christmas this year my sister Pat bought us a clock that tells you the time, date, and day of the week! A funny at first but not so funny when you realize you really don’t pay attention anymore if you can truly relax and enjoy the ride.

Monica and I often say we have such a wonderful life and I can tell you it truly is and I hope all of you one day achieve the same.